Summary

A story of your own.

The Good

The thing about Heavy Rain, is its story. The story is possibly one of the deep and most immersive stories in the industry. Yes, I know "a story is necessary for a quality game!" Right, but the twist here is that you get to manipulate it. Do you want to kill one of the four characters? You can do so. Should you follow the schedule given to you, or go about it your way? The choice is all yours. The choices can either penalize you, or reward you. Either way, it'll always change the story and final endings.
Not only is the story top notch, but the way everything is presented is flawless. Heavy Rain is more cinematic than an actual game title. You grow bonds to the characters whether it be good or not, and you start to actually feel for them. Gameplay is limited to quick events and button presses, but that's not a bad thing. Simple controls allow for swift progression, thus, enjoyable gameplay.
The visuals are beautiful too. Special effects are spot on, models are gorgeous, and environments were obviously planned with hardship. Quantic Dream really put their best into this. Nothing seems lazy or rushed in the slightest.

The Bad

Heavy Rain, is by no means perfect.
Voice acting wasn't bad, but it was weird at times. It's not like they were annoying or outrageous, the acting was just out of place for the most part. The characters are set in an American setting, and seem to have American backgrounds for the most part. So why do they have foreign accents?..
There were also the occasional bugs in Heavy Rain. Nothing huge, but getting stuck in a chair or freezing can really detract from the experience at times.

The Bottom Line

If you're yearning for a one of a kind story and beautiful presentation, then Heavy Rain is an instant must buy. The story is the overall foreground of the title. You the player, determine the background of it all.